NET Research Foundation: Targeting Single Cancer Cells with PRRT to Prevent Metastasis

Despite the effectiveness of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) to prolong survival of those with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), many patients will see their cancer spread a few years later.

To help discover technology capable of more accurately killing individual neuroendocrine cancer cells, NETRF granted a 2018 Petersen Investigator award to Roger Schibli, PhD, Paul Scherrer Institut, Zurich Switzerland. His study will explore the safety of a novel radionuclide for PRRT to reduce risks of recurrence. Schibli will study terbium radionuclides (Tb-161), which have distinct radioactive properties, compared to existing radionuclides, such as lutetium 177 dotatate (Lu-177) or Yttrium-90 (Y-90). According to Schibli, Tb-161’s properties may help to kill single cancer cells, which may be left lingering on the margins of a tumor and then continue to grow, leading to recurrence or metastases.

Testing Tb-161 for neuroendocrine tumors

Tb-161 kills tumor cells at short and long ranges. Schibli’s study evaluates the ability of Tb-161 dotatoc to kill single cancer cells and tiny metastases in a pre-clinical setting before they proceed with the first-in-man study. Schibli’s proof-of-concept clinical testing of Tb-161 is planned to be done in collaboration with Richard Baum, MD, PhD, in Bad Berka, Germany.